NHL Trade Rumors: Predators Scouting the Canadiens

Wednesday, November 26, 2025 ,
Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos skates with the puck during 2025 game.

The Nashville Predators are sinking toward seller territory, and their scouting trips to Montreal have thrown gasoline on the Canadiens rumor mill. 

With two Predators scouts, including their head pro scout, in attendance for back to back games at the Bell Centre, reports from David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period and others have linked Nashville veterans Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly to a possible Montreal Canadiens target list as Kent Hughes looks for help down the middle.

Why Predators Scouts Are Watching The Canadiens

Nashville sits near the bottom of the standings after back to back disappointing seasons, a brutal reality check for Barry Trotz after his aggressive free agent splurge on Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Brady Skjei and earlier additions like O’Reilly, Gustav Nyquist and Luke Schenn. 

The mix has not worked. With Gavin McKenna looming at the top of the next draft, this is not the worst year for the Predators to pivot into full seller mode, even if the contracts they handed out to aging stars will not be easy to unwind.

Pagnotta reports that Nashville has been active in trade conversations and is open for business, while multiple outlets have noted the presence of Predators scouts in both Montreal and Laval. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun has already floated the idea of the Canadiens having interest in Marchessault, though his age and cap hit make that a tough fit for a club that has been reluctant to commit long term money to veterans. 

With Jake Evans going down after a high hit against the Washington Capitals, Montreal’s center depth looks even thinner, and attention has shifted more strongly toward O’Reilly as a short term stabilizer and Stamkos as the big name swing.

Stamkos Dream, O’Reilly Fit And Montreal’s Trade Chips

Even at 35 and coming off a rough start with the Predators, it is easy to picture Stamkos' shot transforming that Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov line into something special. 

The obstacles are obvious. Stamkos is owed 8 million dollars per season for two more years, owns a full no movement clause and has looked like a shadow of his prime self with only a handful of points in his first twenty games. Any deal would likely need to involve the Canadiens cleaning up their own cap situation, potentially by folding the Patrik Laine contract into a larger swap, and convincing Stamkos that Montreal is a destination he wants to waive for.

O’Reilly is the more realistic target. At 34, he is still producing with 13 points in 20 games and winning well over half of his faceoffs. His 4.5 million dollar cap hit comes with only one year of term and, crucially, no trade protection. 

That makes him far easier to move than Stamkos. He would give the Canadiens a battle tested two way center who can handle tough minutes, take key draws and buy time for their younger pivots to grow. The complication would be the fit. 

O’Reilly has previously been uncomfortable with intense big market scrutiny, something he experienced during his brief Toronto Maple Leafs stint, and Montreal is as demanding as it gets. The Canadiens would need assurances that he is willing to report and embrace that environment.

Photo Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

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